Time recorder system



NOV. 6, 1934. A. L. DENNlsTQN Q 1,979,318

TIME RECORDER SYSTEM Filed Sept. 24. 1932 N Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 24, 1932, Serial No. 634,666

'7 Claims.

My invention relates to job time recorders and more specifically to a synchronous motor-driven job time recorder arranged to suspend operation during non-working periods.

The purpose of a job time recorder is to make a printed record of the time a workman starts and stops work on a given job. This printed record is used by the cost-keeping department as a basis for determining the labor cost involved in manufacturing a given product.

The workman is provided with a card or ticket upon which he stamps the starting time by ,inserting the card in the job time recorder and manually actuating the imprint lever which 5 causes the recorder to make a time imprint.

When he finishes that particular job he again inserts that same ticket in the job time recorder and makes a second time imprint. The difference in time between these two imprints indicates the elapsed time involved on that particular job.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide such a system with means for correcting the daily error occasioned by the different rates at'which the motor picks up after it has stopped and drifts after it has been cut off.

In certain cost-keeping systems it is desirable to have job time recorders automatically stop operating during the non-working periods, which are usually the lunch and supper periods. This is a practice that has been quite extensively used with minute impulse systems, but has not been made use of with synchronous motor-driven recorders, because the recorders would not operate in synchronism when started and stopped, clue to the fact that certain motors will start slower than others and. also that certain motors will run longer after the current has been cut off.

As indicated above, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide in such a system means for correcting the daily error occasioned by the specific characteristics as to starting and stopping of the various synchronous motors in such a way that the error does not become cumulative.

When the recorders are arranged to eliminate the non-working periods, the type wheels cover a period. of less than twenty-four hours. For instance, many job recorders cover a cycle of twenty-two hours. Therefore, in each day of twenty-four hours the recorder must be idle for two hours. This two-hour period may be divided into three divisions, using one-half hour for lunch, one-half hour for supper and one hour,

to be eliminated usually just before the beginning of the working day. Occasionally recorders are arranged for a twenty, twenty-one or a twenty-three hour period.

In accomplishing the desired result, a synchronous motor-driven program instrument and suitable sequence switches are employed to open and close the necessary circuit or circuits required for the control of the recorders. Attached to the type wheel mechanism in each recorder is a contact which is caused to open when the movement of the type wheel mechaism reaches a certain predetermined point in its travel, usually the end of the cycle for which the recorder is built. This feature insures that the recorder will always operate until its cycle is completed and therefore can be started off in synchronism at the beginning of each new cycle.

It is, of course, understood that there willv be a very slight error in some recorders, due to the fact that the synchronous motors will not always accelerate at the same rate, but as each recorder must complete its cycle before it will stop, this very small error is corrected each time the recorder reaches the end of its cycle which occurs once each day.

In the drawing, in which two forms of my invention are shown,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a system as outlined above employing an electromagnet in each secondary apparatus; and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View showing a system in which there is no electromagnet in the secondary apparatus.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and first to Fig. l, the system shown therein comprises a plurality of secondary apparatuses, each secondary apparatus comprising a synchronous motor 1, a cam wheel 2 driven by this synchronous motor, a switch 3 controlled by this cam 2 for cutting off the secondary apparatus at the end of its cycle, and master apparatus including a synchronous motor 4, a pair of cam wheels 5 and 5a driven by this master synchronous motor, a sequence switch 6 controlled by the cam wheel 5 for controlling the stopping and starting of the motor 1 for the non-Working periods and a sequence switch 8 controlled by the cam wheel 50. for starting the secondary apparatus after the secondary apparatus has stopped itself at the end of its cycle. In addition to the above apparatus, each secondary apparatus is provided with an electromagnet 1O controlled by the sequence switch 8 and a switch 11 in bridge or" the cam-controlled switch circuit 12 for assisting in the starting of the sechas been stopped at tion, bringing the high point of the cam wheel";

1 onceeeach: day andu 13a of the sequence switch underneaththe movable contact 14 and thus interruptin'g the'power circuit to the secondary apparatusl At the end of each non-working;periockgthee cam wheel 5 again momentarily closes the cir-rcuit for the electromagnet13, causing, the cam Wheel 13a to be given anothenquarter" turn, bringing the loW spot of the cam wheel:= 13a'z underneath the movable contact 14 and allowingtheemovabl'e-'contacttto drop down :onto thecooperating contact-"15: This closes the power circuit to the secondary-apparatus, causingthe secondary apparatus to:start. up again at the endof 'thes non-working period. This operation 1'52. repeated for each" non-working" period throughoutlthe day'.'-

As indicated'iabove, in one common system, it is:usual -ito:- have=aanon+working period for lunch, a:noneworking: period forr supper, and a period otlidlenessfiatitherend of the-daily cycle and just before I the; beginningz wof thenext days cycle. Thislperi'od-t of Iidl'eness: between the end" of one cycle Lands the: 1 beginning of another varies, but inssomersystemssanzidle hour-is provided so that eaclizsecondary' apparatus steps -itself an hourbefore i the abeginning: of the next days' cycle, thusninsuring that alleofathe secondary apparatusestarea:broughtainto: substantial synchronism preventingany cumulative GII'OlElfdllGiLtOl startingrandz' stoppingt For in-- stance;-: i= the?day s cyclebegins at 7: OO oclock, eaehesecondary apparatus --w ill' out itself 'off from theupowens'circuitzratz 6:00- 'oclockr This automatic cut-off is accomplished by the camwheel- 2-lwh ich imaylbeisosdesigned that at 6 00 oclock by secondary apparatus time the camwheel will' opentcontactssafand 520a; interrupting the power circuit and StOPIJiIlgTLthG-JIIOLOIZ To start ittupsagain; .th'e :master control cam Wh'eelu 5a :isidesigned'ito momentarily closev the circuit atctheebeg-inningcofithe new cycle which will energize the electromagnettlfi-f an'd cause the sequence: switch camiwheel 17ito.be turned a Z quartersrrevolutionm This permits theemovable contact l8stol drop: down; onto the cooperating contact 1. 19; ;completing.. the circuit. for the: secondary electromagnet'10;causinglthe bridge circuit 20nto be closedand thus starting all the secondary -apparatusi. This will of course cause all oi the secondary cam ':wheels 2; to start rotating and soon'rthe normal circuits for the secondaries will be established: by the closing of the: con tactss2'0a'and 3 -by thersecondary cam wheels 2.

i Shortlyafter these-normal circuits have been closed; tlie= master' cam wheel 5a may again momentarily complete 1 the circuit: for the electromagnet lti, causinga further quarter turn of the-= sequence switch cam-wheel 17 and the consequent opening of "the contacts-18 and 19. leaves the apparatus all set for the day's cycle.*---

Referring now- 'to' Fig; 2, which shows a system which doesnot requirean electromagnet iI'i"the'-secondary apparatus, it-W-ill' be noted that when the cam wheel 2 allows the contact 20a to disengage the contact 3, it will drop down onto a contact 21 which provides a substitute circuit for the motor 1 controlled by the cam wheel 17 of the sequence switch 8.

From this it will be clear that the operation of the apparatus of Fig; 2, is -.substantially the samemasothatoih'ig. 1. The automaticcut-off at the end of the cycle is accomplished by the cam wheel 2, which at the end of the days cycle will permit the movable contact 20a to disengagethe contact 3 and engage the contact 21 Whiclrinterrupts the power circuit and stops the motor-11,v To: start-the; secondaries up again at ,;thei:-beginning otrthe-jnext days cycle, the master:controlscamiiwheel 5a will momentarily close .the circuit,,energizing the electromagnet 16 and causingthe'sequence switch cam wheel 17 to be turned a quarter revolution. This permits the contact 18 to drop down onto the cooperating oontact 519; completing-the substitute -,circuitfor-the secondary-motor 1; thus starting-Fall theseeondaryrapparatuse This-twill, of course; cause all the secondarygcam wheels2xto'start rotating and soon the normalcircuits 'for -the secondaries will be established by the. closing :of r the contacts 20a. and 3-by the secondary: cam wheel 2. Shortly after these: normal circuits: have been closed, the master 'camwheelbwmay: again momentarily complete the; circuitssforrthe electromagnet 16,: causingxa furtherquarter turn ofthe-sequence switch cam;Wheel.-l7 and a consequentropeningof the contactssl8 and 19;

Further modifications will be apparent-: toth'ose'skilledi-inrthe art and it is. desired, therefore,.that the invention be limited-onlyvby the prior-art and the. scope'of the appended claims; Having thus "described my invention, whattI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

, 1. Asynchronous motor jobhtime recorder sys tem comprising master apparatus and a plural ity ofusecondary apparatuses, eachi secondary apparatus:- comprising asynchronous motor and means; controlled by the 1 individual secondary apparatus time for stopping it"at th'eend of its cycle, said master apparatus comprising 'means controlled by master apparatus time for stopping the secondary apparatus and-for starting the secondaryapparatuses after they havebeen stopped by the master apparatus,- and means controlled by masterapparatus time for starting the secondary apparatuses after; they have been stoppedby the secondary apparatuses themselves :atthe end i of their cycles.

2. Asynchronous motor job time recorder-system comprising master apparatus anda plural ity of secondary" apparatuses, each secondary apparatus comprising a synchronous motor. and means controlled bythe individualsecondary-apparatus-time for stopping it: at the end-of: its, cycle, said master, apparatus comprising means controlled by master apparatus time for stopping the secondary apparatus and for starting,- the secondary apparatuses after a they have been stopped by the master apparatus, and means controlled by master apparatus time for starting the secondary apparatuses after. theyhave 1 been stopped by the secondary apparatuses, themselves at the endiof. their cycles, said master: apparatus comprisinga time-controlled switch for; stopping and starting the motors of the secondary apparatuses. V

3. A synchronous motor job timerecorder sys, tem 1 comprising: master apparatus a. and; a plu= rality: of secondary apparatuses, 7 each; secondary apparatus comprising a synchronous motor and means controlled by the individual secondary apparatus time for stopping it at the end of its cycle, said master apparatus comprising means controlled by master apparatus time for stopping the secondary apparatus and for starting the secondary apparatuses after they have been stopped by the master apparatus, and means controlled by master apparatus time for starting the secondary apparatuses after they have been stopped by the secondary apparatuses themselves at the end of their cycles, each sec ondary apparatus being provided with a switch controlling the circuit for its motor controlled by the movement of said motor.

4. A synchronous motor job time recordel system comprising master apparatus and a plurality of secondary apparatuses, each secondary apparatus comprising a synchronous motor and means controlled by the individual secondary apparatus time for stopping it at the end of its cycle, said master apparatus comprising means controlled by master apparatus time for stopping the secondary apparatus and for starting the secondary apparatuses after they have been stopped by the master apparatus, and means controlled by master apparatus time for starting the secondary apparatuses after they have been stopped by the secondary apparatuses themselves at the end of their cycles, each secondary apparatus being provided with a switch controlling the circuit for its motor controlled by the movement of said motor, and a circuit in bridge of said motor-controlled switch controlled by the master apparatus.

5. In a job time recorder system in which a plurality of synchronous motor time-controlled recorders are periodically stopped for certain predetermined non-working periods by master control apparatus, means for periodically synchronizing said recorders to correct for differences in starting and stopping rates of the synchronous motors.

6. In a job time recorder system, master apparatus, a plurality of synchronous motor controlled recorders, means in said master apparatus for stopping and starting said recorders, and means periodically effective for correcting the deviations in time registered by said recorders due to differences in the accelerating and retarding characteristics of the synchronous motors.

'7. In a job time recorder system, master apparatus, a plurality of synchronous motor controlled recorders, means in said master apparatus for stopping said recorders at the beginning of each of a plurality of non-working periods and for starting said recorders at the termination of each of said non-working periods, and means for periodically synchronizing said recorders to correct for differences in the starting and stopping rates of the synchronous motors, said means including means in each recorder for stopping it at a predetermined point in its operation and means in said master apparatus for starting all of said recorders together.

ADOLPH L. DENNIS'ION. 

